Almost all appliances in our daily life may require a GFCI. GFCI is mainly a safety measure in your house which keeps your appliances safe from any electrical damage.
Dishwashers and garbage disposal need GFCI in most cases. Let us discuss the reasons why dishwasher and garbage disposal needs a GFCI and some interesting facts about them as well.
Does the dishwasher need GFCI?
Yes, the dishwasher needs a GFCI according to the electrical regulation rules which are known as NFPA 70 provided by the National Electrical Code or in short ‘NEC’. This is mandatory if you live in the United States and other countries. Moreover, this rule is applicable in most parts of the US.
GFCI is basically a power outlet with some special features in it. It is specially designed to stop the current supply in case of any imbalance in the flow of incoming and outgoing current.
Thus, it protects the electrical wires from overheating. It also helps to minimize the chances of fire and electrical injuries.
Besides, it is necessary to connect your dishwasher with a GFCI outlet. This is vital even if you have a hardwire / cord and plug connected.
If your dishwasher is set in the kitchen, it is a must that you use a GFCI outlet for your dishwasher at any cost.
Commercial dishwasher:
A commercial dishwasher doesn’t need GFCI protection. According to the NEC, if you are using the dishwasher in a commercial setting, you do not need to utilize a GFCI to power the commercial dishwasher.
3 reasons why dishwashers need GFCI
A GFCI is essential for the safety and long-term life of your dishwasher. Not only that, but your dishwasher may require a GFCI for a variety of reasons. Here are 3 compelling reasons to install a GFCI in your dishwasher:
To prevent electrical fires:
One of the main goals of GFCI is to protect your devices from excessive electricity. Overloading your dishwasher with electricity may cause your device to malfunction and trip.
Moreover, it can set fire to your wiring at home. Although, electronic devices have a safety feature to prevent it, which is called a fuse. If you add GFCI with it, it may help to prevent this in a much better way.
To prevent damages to your appliances:
GFCI prevents electrical damage to your dishwasher. It helps to prevent the overloading of electricity and voltage.
Therefore, overloading electricity is bad for electrical appliances like your dishwasher. But GFCI prevents that from happening. So, to keep your dishwasher safe, it is better to connect it to a GFCI.
To prevent electrical shocks:
Electrical shocks are dangerous for your dishwasher. It may also shock you and any other person who touches it.
Moreover, GFCI helps to prevent that using a specialized sensor that is built into it that detects the flow of the incoming and outgoing electricity.
Furthermore, this detection helps the GFCI to maintain the proper flow of electricity and helps to prevent any shocks by maintaining a balanced electrical flow.
But whenever the flow of electricity becomes unbalanced, the GFCI will safely trip and prevent you from getting shocked by the dishwasher.
Why does my dishwasher trip the GFCI?
Your dishwasher could trip the GFCI for a variety of reasons. Let us help you understand some of the primary reasons for this problem:
Loose connection with the GFCI:
If your dishwasher is tripping the GFCI, the first thing that may come to mind is a loose connection between the GFCI and your dishwasher. A loose connection may cause an imbalance of incoming and outgoing electricity which may cause your GFCI to trip.
Check if your dishwasher is connected with the GFCI properly or not.
Loose wiring with the GFCI:
Your dishwasher may trip your GFCI if the connection with the GFCI and wiring is loose. If there is a problem with the wiring, it may cause sparking in the GFCI which may result in constant tripping. Thus, check the wiring.
Overloading the GFCI:
Your dishwasher may trip the GFCI if it uses more voltage and electricity than the GFCI’s maximum limit. It usually happens when your dishwasher is turned on and the dishwasher’s motor consumes the GFCI’s beginning power.
Thus, check if the rating of your GFCI and dishwasher is within the range or not.
Does garbage disposal need GFCI?
No, garbage disposal doesn’t need GFCI. According to the National Electrical Code (NEC), garbage disposal does not require any connection to a GFCI. It can be connected either using hardwire or through a grounded electrical outlet. This rule will vary based on the usage of the garbage disposal.
Garbage disposals use very little energy to operate. The amount of power required to operate garbage disposal is so small that it may be compared to the power necessary to run a single light bulb daily.
As a result, it does not require a specialized GFCI to function. Furthermore, you will use your waste disposal for a brief amount of time at some point.
Moreover, it does not necessitate any safety precautions, such as the use of a GFCI, because it does not require long-term continuous power. You should be aware that garbage disposals are frequently connected to the dishwasher’s power supply.
A GFCI outlet is required for this dishwasher. As a result, it’s wired up to a powerful electrical source.
Therefore, your garbage disposal will work better if you set up a basic grounded socket next to the GFCI socket for your dishwasher in a parallel connection.
Thus, if you clear enough space next to the GFCI socket for your dishwasher to install a simple grounded socket in a parallel connection, your garbage disposal will not require any additional wiring and will save you money.
What kind of outlet do I need for garbage disposal?
Garbage disposal will require a grounded outlet. The outlet should be capable of delivering 120 volts. You can also connect your waste disposal to the dishwasher’s connector. As a result, you can connect your garbage disposal to the dishwasher’s 120-volt GFCI.
A garbage disposal can be used alongside a dishwasher because it does not use much power and just has to operate for a brief length of time. As a result, you may easily utilize it with the dishwasher’s GFCI.
Keep in mind that you’ll need to keep the garbage disposal switch close to it. You’ll have to activate it whenever you need it because it’s not necessary to have it running practically all of the time.
As a result, it’s a good idea to have the switch near your waste disposal so that you can easily access it.
3 reasons why garbage disposal doesn’t need GFCI
There are several reasons why you don’t need a GFCI to operate your garbage disposal. Here are the 3 most noteworthy reasons why you do not need it:
A garbage disposal uses very little power:
Garbage disposals have a small motor in them which eventually doesn’t consume that much power. Thus, it consumes so little power that it can be compared with the amount of power consumed by light in your house.
As a result, there is no possible reason to use GFCI for a low-power consuming appliance like your garbage disposal.
Location of the garbage disposal isn’t harmful:
GFCI is commonly used for items under the sink that are susceptible to water damage.
There is no reason to install a GFCI for your garbage disposal if you place it in a location where water cannot harm it and where there is no opportunity for water to shorten your connection.
To reduce the cost of setting up another connection:
To avoid any electrical problems, keep a few outlets in the kitchen. Furthermore, keeping fewer sockets on the wall may save space on the wall and reduce clutter in your wiring.
It may also help you save money in the long run. As a result, you won’t need a GFCI for it.
Can you put a dishwasher and garbage disposal on the same circuit?
Yes, you can put a dishwasher and garbage disposal on the same circuit. You may run a garbage disposal and a dishwasher on the same circuit because garbage disposals use very little electricity and are only used for a brief time.
However, keep in mind that you should use them separately rather than all at once to avoid stumbling.
Please note that, in comparison to a garbage disposal, a dishwasher consumes a lot of energy. As a result, you should turn off your garbage disposal when using your dishwasher.
Final Thoughts
GFCI is required for the dishwasher and waste disposal. According to the NEC, it is required to use GFCI. Because you use the dishwasher and garbage disposal most of the time in your kitchen, it’s preferable to utilize GFCI for the following machines to avoid any unexpected electrical accidents.